Moving bed reactor conversion process for particulate containing hydrocarbons such as shale oil and tar-sands oil

ABSTRACT

Crude oil petroleum derived from oil shale or tar sands and containing large amounts of highly abrasive particulate matter, such as rock dust or sulfated ash, is hydroprocessed in a dual function moving bed reactor which simultaneously removes particulate matter by the filter action of the catalyst bed. The effluent from the moving bed reactor is then separated and further hydroprocessed in fixed bed reactors with fresh hydrogen added to the heavier hydrocarbon fraction to promote desulfurization.

United States Patent Anderson 1 1 Oct. 7, 1975 1541 MOVING BED REACTORCONVERSION 3255.159 6/1966 Frandsen 1. 23/288 PROCESS FOR PARTICULATE31,227,563 1/:36; Do-urnani.I 1 208/59 CONTAINING HYDROCARBONS SUCH AS 2Elit A SHAH: OIL AND TAR-SANDS 01L 3,530066 9/1970 Kuwata et a1 i 4 ,6308/309 [75] Inventor: Robert F. AndersonQ La Grange 3,573,201 3/]971Annesser 8! al. 208/Z5l H Park In 3,712,861 1/1973 RUSll'lSkl et ale208/216 3,730,880 5/1973 Van der Toorn et 208/213 [73] Assignee:Universal Oil Products Company,

Des Plaines "L FORhlGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 831.247 3/1960 UnitedKingdom 208/111 [22] Filed: Aug. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 284,689Primary ExaminerDelbert E. Gantz Assistant Examiner-G. E. SchmitkonsAttorney, Agent, or Firm.1ames R. Hoatson, Jr.; [52] 11.8. CI. 208/59;208/11; 208/48,

208/57; 208/89; 208/108; 208/111; 208/112; Robert Page H 208/251 H;208/264 [57] ABSTRACT [5|] CmG uosaclofi 13/16; Crude oil petroleumderived from oil shale or tar C100 23/08 ClOG 37/02 sands and containinglarge amounts of highly abrasive {58] held of Search 208/59 25lparticulate matter, such as rock dust or sulfated ash, is 208/25l 88hydroprocessed in a dual function moving bed reactor whichsimultaneously removes particulate matter by [56] Reierences cued thefiller action of the catalyst bed, The effluent from UNITED STATESPATENTS the moving bed reactor is then separated and further 2,891,0056/1959 Heinrich .1 208/253 hydroprocessed in fixed bed reactors withfresh hydro- 2. /1 59 Sleeves 2 gen added to the heavier hydrocarbonfraction to pro- 2,914,458 11/1959 Harper r H 208/88 mote d lf i i2,943,040 6/1960 Weisz 208/91 3,151,054 9/1964 Layng 208/11 20 Claims, 1Drawing Figure Fresh cam/ 5r Fur/mu Moving 80d 7 Reactor 8 Credo 0/! 4ndSena/afar l 6 l "2 /2 7 a 2 Used Ca/a/ys! And I3 Pa r'cu/a/es I I r9 /41 Find Bed f/red 80d Reactor Reacmr MOVING BED REACTOR CONVERSIONPROCESS FOR PARTICULATE CONTAINING IIYDROCARBONS SUCH AS SHALE OIL ANDTAR-SANDS OIL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Theinvention pertains to the hydroprocessing of petroleum feed stocks forthe removal of sulfur, nitrogen and metals and the hydrocracking ofheavy fractions of the petroleum. It is directly concerned with the useof a moving bed reactor for the duel-functional role of reactor andfilter, particularly with feed stocks containing large amounts ofabrasive or catalyst fouling material.

2. Description of the Prior Art This invention presents a new processflow and application using a moving bed reactor in the well known fieldof hydroprocessing, with emphasis on the ability of the reactor to serveas a filter. The prior use of moving bed technology is shown for examplein US. Pat. Nos. 2,303,7l7 and 3,2l L798. Wide spread commercialapplication of moving bed reactors has so far been limited to reformingof naphtha as disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,470,090 and 3,647,680. Sincethe naphtha is normally pretreated and the reforming is performed in avapor phase, the problems encountered in charging heavier raw petroleumfractions have not been present.

A basic problem in fixed bed hydroprocessing is the plugging of thecatalyst bed due to the accumulation of foreign matter entrained in thefeed. Filtration of charge stocks for fixed bed reactors has beenperformed with replaceable cartridge filters in the charge lines or withdirt traps located within the reactor as described in US. Pat. No.3,255,159. Other methods used inside the reactor include increasing thesurface area over which the clogging occurs and impingement baffles todeflect solid material away from the catalyst bed.

The filtration of liquids in a countercurrent fashion is disclosed inseveral U.S. Patents of which 3,512,639 is a good example, but which isrestricted to intermittent stoppages of the liquid flow during theperiods of catalyst addition and withdrawal. These patents also refer tothe use of this countercurrent movement in ion exchange treating andother similar applications.

Continuous countercurrent sorption operations that involve the transportof solid particles are reviewed on pages l6-20 to [6-23 of the FourthEdition of Chemical Engz'neers Handbook as edited by John Perry andpublished by McGraw-Hill, Inc. Included in this section is arotating-disk feeder apparatus and a discussion of hydraulic-ramoperations wherein a stream of liquid is charged downward from the topof a particle bed to create sufficient force to prevent fluidization ofthe particles contained in lower portions of the apparatus by upwardmoving process liquid charged from the bottom. Both streams exit at someintermediate point.

The use of a single bed of particles for both filtration of fly ash andremoval of from flue gases with panel bed filters is discussed in aseries of three articles by Arthur Squires in the Journal of the AirPollulion Comm! Association starting on page 534 of Volume 20, No. 8 forAugust, 1970. an extensive bibliography is included which includeschemical applications disclosing bottom take-off of spent solids. Panelbed filters utilize flow of the process media horizontally through athin layer of particles similar to radial flow reactors and include ameans to remove built up filter cake either mechanically or by expellingthe particles horizontally through openings in the filter apparatus.

Abrasive material in oil derived from tar sands has been commerciallyremoved by coking the heavy material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A moving bed hydroprocessing reactor is used asa first contacting zone to remove entrained material from the chargestock by the filtration action of the catalyst. The catalyst flowthrough the reactor removes the accumulated material from the reactorand therefore prevents the build up of excessive pressure drops. Optimumfiltration is obtained when the oil flows countercurrent to a descendingcatalyst bed traveling in a piston-like manner. In a specificembodiment, a broad range petroleum fraction, such as a raw tar sandorigin oil containing a large amount of particulate matter, is passedthrough a moving bed hydroprocessing reactor in contact with hydrogen.The efi'luent is then separated into a light fraction which is passedthrough a fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor, and a heavy fraction whichis comingled with fresh hydrogen and passed through a hydrorefining orhydrocracking reactor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING To illustrate the preferred embodiment of theinvention as shown in the drawing, it will be assumed that a broadboiling range crude oil fraction is being hydroprocessed. The crude oil,which has been mixed with hydrogen, is changed through line I intofurnace 2 which raises its temperature sufficiently to initiate ahydrotreating reaction after the crude oil and hydrogen mixture ispassed through line 3 into moving bed reactor 4. The passage of the oilthrough the bed of catalyst results in the filtration of particulatematter from the oil and this in turn results in the build up of filtercake and an increasingly effective filter as the larger openings betweenthe catalyst particles become clogged. Fresh catalyst is added to movingbed reactor 4 through line 5 and used catalyst is withdrawn through line6. This results in a gradual movement of the catalyst bed in the reactordownward through the reactor and the removal of the previously entrainedmaterial with the withdrawn catalyst. The countercurrent flow of oil andcatalyst aids in preventing the escape of entrained particulate matterfrom the reactor when the catalyst bed moves as the catalyst istransferred. Material released from the lower part of the bed must thenmove through the upper part and is more likely to be recaptured. Theflow of oil may also be downward through the reactor in the moreconventional manner. The partially hydrotreated and filtered reactoreffluent leaves by lines 7 and is passed directly into separator 8. Thisseparator may be a hot flash Zone or a fractionator with a small numberof trays to perform a rough split of the effluent into a heavy oilfraction and a light oil fraction. The light oil fraction includinghydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and light gases is withdrawn through line 9for passage through fixed bed reactor I0, which due to the lightcharacter of the charged material would be operated at hydrotreatingconditions to complete removal of sulfur and nitrogen before the chargedmaterial exits through line I]. The heavy hydrocarbon fraction producedin separator 8 is withdrawn through line 12 and commingled with freshhydrogen entering the process through line 13 prior to passage by line14 into fixed bed hydrocracking reactor 15. The reactor effluent leavesby line 16 for appropriate fractionation into the desired products.

This simplified flow scheme is based on the premise that all threereaction zones would be operated at ap proximately the same pressure.However, the use of higher pressures in the fixed bed reactors isanticipated and would be accomplished by the insertion of theappropriate compressors and pumps between separator 8 and the fixed bedreactors. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that many necessaryvalves, controls, temperature and pressure measurement devices, andother pieces of required process equipment are not shown on thisdrawing. This has been done in the interest of simplicity and clarityand is not intended to impose a limitation on the application of thisinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to thefield of hydroprocessing in general and is particularly directed tothose hydroprocessing operations troubled by the accumulation on thecatalyst bed of solid or semi-solid foreign material entrained in thefeed stream. The invention is also concerned with the necessity ofremoving small highly abrasive sulfated ash from the crude oil producedfrom tar sands. Such foreign matter is introduced from one or morevarious sources and may comprise, for example, mill scale torn loosefrom plant equipment carrying the feed stream, corrosion products, ironsulfide, and various pieces of solid materials such as sand or oil shaleparticles. Build up of this solid matter develops excessive pressuredrop through the catalyst bed, promotes channelling of the reactants anduneven reactant distribution through the catalyst bed and leads to anincreased overall deactivation rate for the catalyst bed. This problemhas prompted the development of numerous methods for alleviating thebuild up of this material in the catalyst bed. Examples are methodswhereby the overall contact area is increased in an effort to spread outthe plugging effect, the use of cartridge filters in feed lines toremove the entrained material, and mechanical apparatus inside thereactor which physically separates the solid particles from thereactants. Only the conscientious use of filters has resulted insatisfactory long term operation. Once a layer of solid material hasbuilt up on the catalyst bed, it is necessary to shut down the operationcompletely and physically remove this top layer of catalyst for cleaningto restore efficient operation. The increased utility cost inherent inoperations having a high pressure drop through a reactor and themonetary losses incurred when the reactor is not producing provide theeconomic stimulus for the development of a practical and economicalsolution to this problem.

As the production of petroleum from new sources such as tar sand andshale oil increases due to the ever increasing demand for petroleum andthe limited natural supply, this petroleum will be compounded due tolarge amounts of small particulate matter produced in the extraction ofthis hydrocarbon material. As already mentioned, a second considerationthen introduced is the extreme abrasiveness of the small particles ofrock and sand which are present at a relatively high concentration inthese petroleum feed stocks. These particles are so exceedingly abrasivethat they must be removed prior to normal processing.

A technique presently resorted to in order to avoid total shut downs ofthe complete process because of reactor plugging or catalystdeactivation consists of operating two or more reactors in parallel andremoving one of the reactors at a time to replace or regenerate thecatalyst. This method requires a higher initial capital expenditure,involves a more complicated process flow and does not providecontinuously uniform products. The use of a moving bed reactor providesthe means to avoid these problems encountered in the prior art. For thisdiscussion, a moving bed reactor is defined as a reactor wherein anon-fluidized bed of catalyst is slowly transferred from one end of thereactor to the other end in a flow similar to plug flow of reactants bythe intermittent addition of catalyst at the first end and removal atthe second. The time between these catalyst movements will depend onprocess results and the amount of catalyst transferred on each occasion.Intermittent may therefore range in meaning from about every hour toabout every week or two. The advantages of the moving bed system haslead to its use in the light oil process of reforming as described inUS. Pat. Nos. 3,470,090 and 3,647,680. This application of moving bedtechnology is carried out at low pressures of from l00 to 300 psig. withall of the hydrocarbon maintained in a vapor phase.

The broad field of hydroprocessing is divided into three mainsubdivisions. The first is hydrotreating wherein material such assulfur, nitrogen, and metals contained in various organic molecularstructures are removed from the charge stock with very little molecularcracking. The second subdivision is hydrocracking, wherein a substantialpart of the charge stock is cracked into smaller molecular weightcomponents, such as in the production of a naphtha from a heavydistillate. Hydrorefining is between these two extremes and results inmolecular changes to up to l0% of the feed together with impurityremoval. Although there are many differences in the processingconditions, suitable catalysts and flow schemes for these differentoperations, they are basically alike in most aspects and may in fact beperformed simultaneously in one operation using different reactors ormore than one catalyst in a single reactor. In every instance, thehydrocarbon is mixed with hydrogen and raised to an elevated temperatureand pressure and passed over a catalyst having a tendency to promote thedesired reactions.

The manufacture and composition of these catalysts is an art in itselfand is not directly relevent to the practice of the process of thisinvention. Catalysts used in these processes are typically composed of abase metal, which is defined to be a metal selected from the groupconsisting of nickel, iron and cobalt, supported on an inorganic oxidecarrier. A suitable catalyst may contain from about 0.\ to l0% nickel orother metal or a combination of metals from base metal group, or othermetals not in the group such as molybdenum or vanadium or oxides ofthese metals. The base material in the catalyst will normally be arefractory inorganic oxide such as alumina, silica, zirconia, or boria,or combinations of any of these materials, particularly alumina incombination with one or more of the other oxides. The alumina is usuallythe predominant component with a weight ratio in the catalyst of froml.5:l to about 9:] and preferably from about l.5:l to about 3zl ofalumina to other support materials. Inclusion of a small amount ofsilica is the common method to increase the cracking activity of thecatalyst since silica is an effective cracking catalyst by itself.Details of suitable catalyst production are given in US. Pat. Nos.3,525,684 and 3,471,399.

The processing conditions necessary for any hydrorefining operation aredetermined by the charge stock. the catalyst used and the desired resultof the process. A broad range of conditions includes a temperature offrom 500F. to l000F., a pressure of from 300 psig. to 4000 psig., and aliquid hourly space velocity of 0.5 to about 5.0. The liquid hourlyspace velocity is defined as the hourly volume at 60F. of thehydrocarbon charged to the reactor divided by the volume in the catalystin the reactor. The exact reactor temperature re quired is determined bythe initial activity and prior use of catalyst. As a general rule, thepreferred operating pressure will increase with the boiling point of thematerial being processed. In all hydroprocessing operations, hydrogen iscirculated through the process at a rate of about 1,000 to 2,5000scf/bbl of charge. This is to increase the vaporization of the oil,thereby resulting in better yields, and to provide hydrogen needed forthe formation of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from the nitrogen andsulfur removed from the charge stock and for the saturation of olefinichydrocarbons formed by the cracking of large complex molecules. Hydrogenconsumed in this manner must be replaced at a rate equal to itsconsumption, which will vary from about scf/bbl to about 200 scf/bblduring hydrotreating and up to about L000 scf/bbl during hydrocracking.The production of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia makes it necessary to insome manner remove these compounds from the process on a continuousbasis. Normal procedure to accomplish this is the injection of waterinto the reactor effluent to dissolve the salts formed from theseimpurities followed by cooling of the effluent sufficient to form awater phase which is then decanted from a separation vessel. A secondmethod is the treatment of the recycled hydrogen gas stream with acaustic or amine solution to scrub out the H 5. The reactor effluent isnormally cooled and separated to recover the majority of the hydrogen tobe recirculated, and the hydrocarbons are then fractionated into thedesired products. The performance of these operations is well known tothose skilled in the art and warrants no further explanation.

Canadian tar sands produce a synthetic crude oil having a compositionwhich includes approximately 250 ppm. metals (mainly nickel andvanadium), about 5% sulfur, and from 10 ppm. to about 2,000 ppm.particulates. These crudes are very heavy in composition, have about 7APl gravity, contain approximately l l7r heptane insolubles, and areonly about 50% distillable. Typically, the particulate matter comprisessulfated ash which consists mostly of alumina silicate particles of l to10 microns in diameter. These particles have sharp edges and are quiteabrasive and must be removed early in the processing of the crude oil toprevent excessive erosion of processing equipment. Coking the oil, thesimplest method to deal with this trouble, is used by the Great CanadianTar Sand Company in the major tar sand refinery now in existence.

Shale oil compositions vary with the method of extracting the oil butwill normally include a high amount of sulfur, nitrogen and metals. Theamount of rock dust and particles may not be excessive if the oil isproduced by retorting the shale.

The method of the present invention is to intentionally removesubstantial amounts of particulate matter by the filter action of a bedof catalyst while simultaneously utilizing the catalyst to hydroprocessthe charged material, and intermittently withdrawing portions of thecatalyst bed and entrained particulate matter from the reactor toprevent the build up of excessive pressure drops in the reactor.Normally, it is preferred to operate a refining process of this typewith the charge stock in a vaporized state, but due to the highpercentage of tar sand oil which is not distillable, this could only beapproached by the use of excessive amounts of recycled hydrogen.However, in the process of this invention neither long catalyst life norhighly uniform distribution patterns are the controlling criteria. Thecentral objective is the removal of large proportions of the particulatematter and metals from the charge stock as a clean up operation prior tofurther processing. The flow chosen through the reactor, therefore willbe that which provides the best removal of the particulate matter andstill, if possible, provides a good degree of hydroprocessing and may beeither upflow or downflow. Upflow operation is not normally used infixed bed operations with a charge stock heavy as that derived from thetar sands, because the heavy liquid would not be vaporized and therewould result two phase flow through the reactor. Two phase flow isthought to hinder the diffusion of hydrogen to activate catalyst sitesand results in an increased carbon forma tion rate, quicker deactivationof the catalyst, channelling of reactants and inferior yields andoperation.

Because catalyst particles are relatively large and loose fittingcompared to normal filter media, a certain degree of fine material willpass through the catalyst bed. As time progresses, the material that isremoved from the liquid stream accumulates on a filter and itself actsas filter medium. With a wide particle size distribution, the courseparticles initially removed will partially plug the larger holes throughthe catalyst bed and increase its filtration efficiency. This naturalphenomenon can be used to the best advantage with an upward flow of oilin the reactor, that is, one countercurrent to the downward movingcatalyst.

When the catalyst moves during the intermittent additions andwithdrawals, this built up filter structure will be partially destroyedallowing flow of some of the previously trapped particles toward thereactor exit. The large particles, however, will not be able to travelany great distance before they are again trapped and re-establish theincreased filtration capability. The destruction of the accumulatedfilter bed by the movement of the catalyst can be lessened by designingthe reactor to encourage plug flow of the catalyst through the reactorand to thereby prevent agitation of the cata lyst. The most desirablesituation for filtration would be for the catalyst bed to in effectslide down the reactor in a piston-like mass countercurrent to the oil.

Catalyst particles are normally about l/16 inch to 3/8 inch extrudedpellets or spheres. The use of a smaller size catalyst will increase theeffectiveness of the catalyst bed as a filter medium, since it is ineffect a step toward a true filter medium. The minimum size the catalystused will be a great extent determined by the physical restraints ofdesigning equipment to prevent the catalyst from exiting from thereactor effluent and to transport the catalyst into and out of thereactor. Other very important design considerations include the increasein pressure drop inherent with a smaller catalyst (approximately 50velocity heads per diameter), and the tendency of catalyst (depending oncatalyst size and density and the fluids characteristics) to becomefluidized in countercurrent flow. Large pressure drops in upflowreactors can raise the catalyst bed as a whole and thereby causedifficulty in attempts to transport catalyst into and out of the reactorby gravity.

One method available for preventing the lifting or fluidization of thecatalyst bed is the use of a hydraulic ram formed by material circulateddownward through the top of reactor and exiting at a midpoint of thevessel. The ram exerts a downward force composed of the weight of thesolids above the reactor effluent opening plus the drag of the fluidbeing circulated downward over these solids.

A hydraulic ram is used advantageously as a reaction zone in a specificembodiment of the present invention, A mixed phase reactant stream, suchas heavy material recycled from the reactor effluent, may be used and acommon effluent opening provided, or a vapor phase reactant stream maybe used in conjunction with sepa rate effluent openings for the tworeactant streams to minimize mixing. The vapor phase reactant stream maybe light material separated from the lower reactor zone effluent andwhich would be contaminated if comingled with the rising heavierreactants from the treating and filtration zone. These effluent openingscould be separated by a layer of catalyst to prevent mixing rather thana physical separator, such as a conventional plate deck, which wouldrestrict catalyst movement.

Although the moving bed reactor is intended to perform significanthydroprocessing, a specific embodiment of the present invention has therate of catalyst addition controlled solely by the pressure drop or thefiltration in the reactor rather than the rate of conversion. Thepressure drop between the reactant inlet and outlet may be correlatedwith experimentally determined degrees of filtration to provide a meansto optimize processing. A less than normally desired removal of sulfur,nitrogen and metals may be the overall optimum case.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawing, the moving bed reactorwould hold from 10 to 25% of the total catalyst used in the process andwould be operated at a liquid hourly space velocity of from 2 to l()based on a space velocity of 0.5 to L0 for the process as a whole. Themoving bed reactor would be operated at high severity conditions toresult in approximately 50% metals removal, about 50 to 60% sulfurremoval and at least 90% removal of the particulate matter. Due to thehigh severity operation envisioned and the inherent rapid build up ofcoke on the catalyst, the catalyst removed from the reactor could besubstantially regen erated by contact with oxygen to burn off the carbonand reused in the reactor. The catalyst regeneration may be a two-stopoperation with initial removal of entrained charge stock and particulatematter from the catalyst in a cleaning zone to form a more free flowingcatalyst which in a second step would be contacted with air or someother oxygen containing gas stream. if the rate of carbon deposition isrelatively low, as in the processing of a light. fully vaporized oilfraction, a portion of the catalyst may be returned to the reactorwithout regeneration, The high metals content of a crude tar sandderived charge stock would result in rather quick, permanentdeactivation of the catalyst due to deposition of metals on the catalystsurface. This metals poisioning of catalyst is irreversible and notaffected by the removal of the carbon. Hence, there would be required aconstant replacement of the used catalyst with fresh catalyst.

As shown in the drawing, the preferred embodiment utilizes a moving bedreactor followed by a fractionation step to divide the wide boilingrange crude oil produced from the tar sand into two separate fractions.The lighter fraction is hydrotreated for the removal of residual metals,sulfur and nitrogen, while the heavier fraction is treated or cracked ina second fixed bed reactor operated at higher severity conditions. Thehydrogen that is not consumed in the moving bed reactor is passedthrough to the fixed bed reactor processing the lighter fraction of thecharge stock. A higher purity hydrogen stream is charged to the secondmoving bed reactor processing the heavy fraction of the moving bedreactor effluent to maintain a higher hydrogen partial pressure for moreeffective desulfurization of this heavier material. The reactors may beoperated at different conditions of pressure and temperature as dictatedby product slate, feed composition, and economics. The residual metalsstill in the effluent of the moving bed reactor will cause deactivationof the catalyst in the next reactor to which it is charged. Since thegreat majority of the metals and particulate matter in the reactoreffluent will be in the heavier fraction leaving the separation zone,the reactor treating this fraction will have greater problems ofdeactivation and plugging than the reactor processing the lighterfraction. To obtain all the advantages inherent in long periods ofcontinuous operation, a moving bed reactor may be used to process thisheavier fraction. The light fraction removed from the separation zonemay also be ei ther processed in a fixed bed or moving bed reactor maybe fractionated prior to any further treatment. Either of thesefractions may be recycled to the initial moving bed reactor as a secondstream charged to the top of the reactor to prevent fluidization orlifting of the catalyst bed by the charge stream entering the bottom ofthe reactor.

I claim as my invention:

l. A process for the filtration and hydroprocessing of aparticulate-containing tar-sand oil or shale oil which comprises thesteps of:

a. continuously passing said oil into the bottom of a reactor inadmixture with hydrogen;

b. intermittently passing quantities of catalyst into the top of thereactor and removing quantities of catalyst and entrained particulatematter from the bottom of the reactor to effect a catalyst transferthrough the reactor;

c. measuring the pressure drop between the bottom of the reactor and thetop of the reactor; and,

d. adjusting the rate of catalyst transfer to effect an adjustment ofthe pressure drop to a preselected pressure drop which corresponds to adesired rate of filtration in the reactor.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said oil charged to the processcontains at least 200 ppm. of particulate matter.

3. The process of claim I wherein said oil charged to the processcontains at least 2% sulfur (elemental weight basis) and is less thandistillable.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said first hydrocarbon stream chargedto the process is derived from tar sands.

5. The proceoss of claim 1 wherein the reactor is operated at atemperature of from 500F. to 900F. and a pressure of 300 psig. to 2,500psig.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the catalystremoved from the reactor is passed through a cleaning zone wherein theparticulate matter entrained with the catalyst is removed and thecleaned catalyst is returned to the reactor.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein at least a portion of the cleanedcatalyst is contacted with an oxygen containing gas to burn off carbondeposits prior to returning the catalyst to the reactor.

8. The process of claim I wherein said oil charged to the process has aninitial boiling point in excess of 350F.

9. A process for the filtration and hydroprocessing of aparticulate-containing tar-sand oil or shale oil which comprises thesteps of:

a. continuously passing said oil into the bottom of a reactor inadmixture with hydrogen;

b. intermittently passing quantities of catalyst into the top of thereactor and removing quantities of catalyst and entrained particulatematter from the bottom of the reactor to effect a catalyst transferthrough the reactor;

c. measuring the pressure drop between the bottom of the reactor and thetop of the reactor;

d. adjusting the rate of catalyst transfer to effect an adjustment ofthe pressure drop to a preselected pressure drop which corresponds to adesired rate of filtration in the reactor; and,

e. passing effluent into the moving bed reactor through a second reactoroperated at hydroprocessing conditions.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the catalystremoved from the moving bed reactor is passed through a cleaning zonewherein particulate matter entrained with the catalyst is removed andthe cleaned catalyst is returned to the reactor.

I]. The process of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the cleanedcatalyst is contacted with an oxygen containing gas to burn off carbondeposits prior to returning the catalyst to the moving bed reactor.

12. The process of claim 9 wherein said oil charged to the processcontains at least 200 ppm. of particulate matter.

13. The process of claim 9 wherein said oil charged to the processcontains at least 2% sulfur (elemental weight basis) and is less thandistillable.

14. The process of claim 9 wherein said second reactor is a moving bedreactor.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein catalyst removed from said secondreactor is regenerated by contacting it with an oxygen-containing gas soto remove carbon deposits and is then charged to the initial moving bedreactor.

16. The process of claim 9 wherein the moving bed reactor is maintainedat a pressure of 300 psig. to 500 psig. and the second reactor ismaintained at a pressure of 1,000 psig. to 4,000 psig.

17. The process of claim 9 wherein the effluent from the moving bedreactor is passed into a separation zone, a light fraction of theeffluent is removed, and the remaining heavy fraction of the moving bedreactor effluent is charged to the second reactor in admixture withadded hydrogen.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein said oil charged to the process hasan initial boiling point in excess of 350F.

19. The process of claim 9 wherein the reactors are maintained attemperature of 500F. to 900F.

20. The process of claim 9 wherein said oil charged to the process isderived from tar sands.

1. A PROCESS FOR THE FILTRATION AND HYDROPROCESSING OF APARTICULATE-CONTAINING TAR-SAND OIL OR SHALE OIL WHICH COMPRISES THESTEPS OF: A. CONTINUOUSLY PASSING SAID OIL INTO THE BOTTOM OF A REACTORIN ADMIXTURE WITH HYDROGEN: B. INTERMITTENTLY PASSING QUANTITIES OFCATALYST INTO TOP OF THE REACTOR AND REMOVING QUANTITIES OF CATALYST ANDENTRAINED PARTICULATE MATTER FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE REACTOR TO EFFECT ACATALYST TRANSFER THROUGH THE RACTOR: C. MEASURING THE PRESSURE DROPBETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE REACTOR AND THE TOP OF THE RACTOR: AND, D.ADJUSTING THE RATE OF CATALYST TRANSFER TO EFFECT AN ADJUSTMENT OF THEPRESSURE DROP TO A PRESELECTED PRESSURE DROP WHICH CORRESPONDS TO ADESIRED RATE OF FILTRATION IN THE REACTOR.
 2. The process of claim 1wherein said oil charged to the process contains at least 200 ppm. ofparticulate matter.
 3. The process of claim 1 wherein said oil chargedto the process contains at least 2% sulfur (elemental weight basis) andis less than 80% distillable.
 4. The process of claim 1 wherein saidfirst hydrocarbon stream charged to the process is derived from tarsands.
 5. The proceoss of claim 1 wherein the reactor is operated at atemperature of from 500*F. to 900*F. and a pressure of 300 psig. to2,500 psig.
 6. The process of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of thecatalyst removed from the reactor is passed through a cleaning zonewherein the particulate matter entrained with the catalyst is removedand the cleaned catalyst is returned to the reactor.
 7. The process ofclaim 6 wherein at least a portion of the cleaned catalyst is contactedwith an oxygen containing gas to burn off carbon deposits prior toreturning the catalyst to the reactor.
 8. The process of claim 1 whereinsaid oil charged to the process has an initial boiling point in excessof 350*F.
 9. A process for the filtration and hydroprocessing of aparticulate-containing tar-sand oil or shale oil which comprises thesteps of: a. continuously passing said oil into the bottom of a reactorin admixture with hydrogen; b. intermittently passing quantities ofcatalyst into the top of the reactor and removing quantities of catalystand entrained particulate matter from the bottom of the reactor toeffect a catalyst transfer through the reactor; c. measuring thepressure drop between the bottom of the reactor and the top of thereactor; d. adjusting the rate of catalyst transfer to effect anadjustment of the pressure drop to a preselected pressure drop whichcorresponds to a desired rate of filtration in the reactor; and, e.passing effluent into the moving bed reactor through a second reactoroperated at hydroprocessing conditions.
 10. The process of claim 9wherein at least a portion of the catalyst removed from the moving bedreactor is passed through a cleaning zone wherein particulate matterentrained with the catalyst is removed and the cleaned catalyst isreturned to the reactor.
 11. The process of claim 10 wherein at least aportion of the cleaned catalyst is contacted with an oxygen containinggas to burn off carbon deposits prior to returning the catalyst to themoving bed reactor.
 12. The process of claim 9 wherein said oil chargedto the process contains at least 200 ppm. of particulate matter.
 13. Theprocess of claim 9 wherein said oil charged to the process contains atleast 2% sulfur (elemental weight basis) and is less than 80%distillable.
 14. The process of claim 9 wherein said second reactor is amoving bed reactor.
 15. The process of claim 14 wherein catalyst removedfrom said second reactor is regenerated by contacting it with anoxygen-containing gas so to remove carbon deposits and is then chargedto the initial moving bed reactor.
 16. The process of claim 9 whereinthe moving bed reactor is maintained at a pressure of 300 psig. to 500psig. and the second reactor is maintained at a pressure of 1,000 psig.to 4,000 psig.
 17. The process of claim 9 wherein the effluent from themoving bed reactor is passed into a separation zone, a light fraction ofthe effluent is removed, and the remaining heavy fraction of the movingbed reactor effluent is charged to the second reactor in admixture withadded hydrogen.
 18. The process of claim 17 wherein said oil charged tothe process has an initial boiling point in excess of 350*F.
 19. Theprocess of claim 9 wherein the reactors are maintained at temperature of500*F. to 900*F.
 20. The process of claim 9 wherein said oil charged tothe process is derived from tar sands.